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Jennie Gibson

Math Problems? It might be Dyscalculia

Addressing learning Disabilities is not just about addressing reading problems.  Children and adults with learning disabilities may have any combination of a variety of deficits.  Dyscalculia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand number-based information and math. 


Those who have dyscalculia may have difficulty doing basic arithmetic such as addition and subtraction, and multiplication and division.  It is also common to have problems remembering numbers and math processes.  Younger children may have trouble learning to count, recognizing numbers and recognizing basic patterns. Some may have difficulty distinguishing left and right.  Each person’s symptoms may be a little different.   People with dyscalculia understandably may have a high level of math anxiety.


The good news is that supporting students with these issues can improve their ability to learn math.  Helping students relate math to practical activities in every day life can be helpful.  Using physical objects as prompts can aid understanding.  For example, the student can use countable objects to manipulate.  Items like measuring cups, rulers, etc can make math concepts easier to understand.


Middle schoolers may struggle with more than just math.  They may have a hard time making sense of maps and charts.  Other common problems are worrying about getting lost, avoiding numbers, trouble telling time, and trouble making comparisons.  For more information, see Signs of dyscalculia at different ages at Understood.org


For more ideas about how to support a child with dyscalculia see I think my child has dyscalculia.  Now what?  https://www.understood.org/articles/im-concerned-my-child-might-have-dyscalculia-now-what (also see other dyscalculia topics on Understood.org.)


Knowing that your child has dyscalculia can help you to advocate for your child at school.  Your child may qualify for an IEP and special education support under the Learning Disabilities category or for Section 504 accommodations.  You may request that the school evaluate your child.  There are also several tests and screeners that psychologists can use to help determine more about your child’s needs. 


For support in navigating the Special Education or section 504 processes, consider using the many resources that the Utah Parent Center offers at www.utahparentcenter.org.  You can receive free information about the special education process, one on one consultations, and if needed you may arrange to have someone support you at your IEP meeting.


Once you understand what the problem is, there are a number of resources to explore.  Adults with dyscalculia are often proficient at reading and research and like to find ideas that can aid them.  Here are a few more resources: The Learning Disabilities Association of America article, What is Dyscalculia? https://ldaamerica.org/what-is-dyscalculia/ 


The National Center for Learning Disabilities article, Dyscalculia in Adults  https://ncld.org/resources-type/dyscalculia-in-adults/ 


Dyscalculia.org has a web page with lots of resources to explore. www.dyscalculia.org

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